Mick Channon

Mick signed for Southampton in 1967 and clocked up over 150 league goals during his first spell with the Saints. He made his full England debut against Yugoslavia in 1972 and soon became the spearhead of the English attack in the 70ies. His direct go for goal attitude made him a man to mark by defences, but that didn't prevent him from scoring 21 goals in 46 games for England.

Mick signed for Manchester City in July 1977 in a deal worth £300 000. He never really settled at Maine Road, and despite scoring 30 goals in 92 League and cup games for the blues, he was kept out of the side by the likes of Dennis Tueart, Peter Barnes and Brian Kidd. Mike went back to Southampton in 1979, and played three more seasons for the Saints before going on an escapade that took him to Hong Kong, Newcastle and Bristol Rovers, before settling at Norwich City for the remaining of his career.

With regard to your request to where are they now, I can tell you that Mick Channon is now a successful race horse trainer. His son, also named Mick, plays in the same football team as me here at the University Of The West Of England and regards City as his "second" faviourite team. He tells me that both him and his dad are saints fans.

Neil Pugh

In summer 1977 I was working in William Hill's Northenden branch when who should come in but the newly-signed Michael Channon. He looked like an unmade bed, but was amiable and chatty and told me in his barely comprehensible Hampshire burr that he was staying at the Post House up by the flyover. He put more wonga than I had ever seen in my life on a couple of nags. Neither came in, so I can't tell you whether or not he would have celebrated by whirling one arm windmill fashion. Come to think of it, did he ever find the back of the net for us?

V I Lenin

2008 September 6th: Former England and Manchester City striker Mick Channong is returning home after spending over a week in hospital following a serious car accident that killed his long time friend, bloodstock agent Tim Corby. The 59-year-old was travelling to his Berkshire stables when the accident happened in Leicestershire. Corby, 63, who was driving the car, was killed in the crash. Channon suffered broken ribs, a broken arm and a punctured lung and needed operations to his jaw and shoulder. Channons 15-year-old son, Jack, was also in the car but was luckily not seriously hurt.

The accident happened when Corby was driving the Channons home from a day at the Doncaster yearling sales on August 27th. Several racing professionals subsequently passed the scene of the crash, near junction 24, without realising who was involved. Corby and Channon often worked the yearling sales in tandem. So much so that Corby was a valued member of the team that bought yearlings for Channon's biggest patron, the Dubai businessman, Jaber Abdullah.